News Analysis India

Tag: Civilian killings in J&K

  • ‘Better to go home than to risk our lives’: Fear-stricken migrants exit Kashmir amid killings

    Express News Service

    SRINAGAR: After the spate in targeted killings of non-resident labourers by militants in Kashmir, non-locals are leaving the Valley in fear. “We are scared. I am a gol gappe seller. Two gol gappe sellers have been killed here. One of them, Arbind Kumar, who was killed in Iddgah area of Srinagar a few days back was a neighbour in my native village. Now, I am fearing for life and leaving for home,” said Vikas Chaudhary, a Bihar resident.

    Many non-local skilled and unskilled labourers have left Srinagar in J&K Road Transport Corporation (JKRTC) buses, cabs and trains for Jammu. Another Bihar resident Ashish Kumar, who is a labourer and staying in Srinagar, said after the targeted killings, his relatives back home were worried about his safety. “On the insistence of my family and on account of the situation, my family and I are leaving for our hometown. It is better to go home than to risk our lives.”

    As many as 12 civilians, including five non-locals, three minority community members and three local Muslims, have been killed by militants in the Valley this month. “It is for the first time that non-local labourers are being targeted by militants in Kashmir. It has spread fear,” said Mukesh Kumar of Bihar. He said his family back home were insisting on his return. “I am leaving Kashmir with a heavy heart,” Mukesh said.

    Dananjay, another non-local labourer from Bihar, said he was also leaving because of  security worries. An ice cream seller, Dananjay said he had been living in the Valley for six years but never faced such a situation before. Another non-local labourer Manilal Paswan said none forced them to leave the Valley. “We are leaving on our own because of the security situation. Kashmiris have been very hospitable and always treated us with respect,” he added. 

  • Two more non-locals killed in Jammu and Kashmir, L-G Manoj Sinha vows harsh response

    Express News Service

    SRINAGAR: Two more non-Kashmiri workers were shot dead in J&K on Sunday in the latest attack targeting civilians. Terrorists entered the rented residence of the Bihari labourers — Raja Reshi Dev and Joginder Reshi Dev — in Wanpoh, Ganjipora in Kulgam on Sunday and fired indiscriminately, killing them on the spot. This raises the number of civilian fatalities to at least 12 since the month began. 

    J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha condemned the killings and promised a strong response, saying “We’ll hunt down terrorists, their sympathisers and avenge every drop of innocent civilians blood.” After Sunday’s shootings, which also left another non-local labourer injured but in stable condition, Inspector General of Police (Kashmir) Vijay Kumar purportedly issued an advisory calling on police officials to bring all non-local labourers in their respective jurisdictions to nearest police, CRPF and army establishments.

    However, the IGP later denied issuing the order, which went viral on social media, calling it fake. A police official said security in and around the areas where the non-locals are staying has been increased and patrolling intensified. Many non-locals left the Valley since October 5, when the targeted killings by militants started. As per estimates, about 50,000 migrant labourers are living in Kashmir. Meanwhile, the Army is continuing its search for a group of militants hiding in the forests of Poonch district.

  • ‘He was lone breadwinner’: Father of ‘gol-gappa’ seller killed in Srinagar seeks compensation

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: “At this age, when I should have died, my son Arvind has. This is unbearable.” Devendra Sah fainted after saying this. His 31-year-old son Arvind Kumar Sah was shot dead from point-bank range by terrorists in Srinagar on Saturday. He was a gol gappa seller. It was the second such killing in the same locality, 11 days after another gol gappa seller from Bihar, Birendra Paswan, was gunned down by terrorists.

    “My son has left the family of 13 at the mercy of god. He was the lone breadwinner. God, why don’t you take me instead of my son,” the hapless father wailed after gaining consciousness. Arvind was 31.Accompanied by family members who had come over to mourn Arvind’s death, his father sought compensation from the government. 

    “I demand an assistance of Rs 50 lakh and a government job for a member of the family. Our survival will become difficult if we don’t get that.” He also said the India-Pakistan T20 World Cup match slated for October 24 should be cancelled, implying that the terrorists are from across the border.

    Devendra’s elder son Vinod died of illness a year ago. The late Arvind has a younger brother Mukesh who does farming. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced an assistance of Rs 2 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for the family. According to official sources, the J&K government has also announced an assistance of Rs 11.25 lakh to the next kin of deceased.

    Arvind had returned to Srinagar just three months ago, after the Covid-19 second wave subsided. He was plying his trade in Srinagar’s Edgah area for the last six years. A large number of migrated residents of Bihar work in Srinagar as labourers, hawkers, masons and electricians. After the spate of civilian killings, many of them are leaving the Valley.

  • ‘Some have started leaving’: Kashmiri Pandits fear 1990 rerun as attack on minorities rises in J&K

    By PTI

    SRINAGAR/ANANTNAG: As a spate of targeted killings of minorities rock Kashmir, a Kashmiri Pandit organisation Friday said some employees from the community, who were provided government jobs under a rehabilitation package in 2010-11, have started moving to Jammu quietly fearing for their life, alleging the administration was unable to provide then a secure environment.

    The administration, meanwhile, has given a holiday of 10 days to employees from the minority community, official sources said.

    A woman principal and a teacher were shot dead at point blank range inside a government school in the heart of the city on Thursday, taking to seven the number of civilians killed by militants in Kashmir Valley in five days.

    ​ALSO READ | Priyanka Gandhi condemns terrorist attacks on J&K civilians, urges govt to ensure safety of all

    Of the seven, four were from minority communities.

    With these targeted killings, members of the Kashmiri Pandit community who were provided employment under the Prime Minister’s rehabilitation programme in 2010-11, fear the terror groups would target them too.

    “Around 500 people or more have started leaving from different areas like Budgam, Anantnag and Pulwama. There are some non-Kashmir pandit families who have also left. It is 1990 revisited,” says Sanjay Tiku, president of Kashmiri Pandit Sangarsh Samiti (KPSS) “It may seem invisible but migration is going on and I was anticipating this.

    We had requested appointment from the Lt Governor’s office in June, but have not been given time till now,” Tiku, who has never migrated out of the valley, said. He said such developments are noticed much these days due to social media, and “we are aware of who all have left.”

    The KPSS says it is now evidently clear that the Confidence Building Measure of providing employment to the Kashmiri migrants is not appreciated by the anti-minority forces.

    He also slammed the administration.

    ​ALSO READ | Will smoke perpetrators out, hold them accountable: Naqvi as militants target civilians in J&K

    Vessu migrant camp in Qazigund area of South Kashmir which houses around 380 families became an epicentre of administrative actions Friday morning when Anantnag Deputy Commissioner Piyush Singla along with police officers pleaded the families not to leave the transit camp.

    “He assured us complete security and requested us not to move to Jammu,” said Sunny Raina, President of Vessu camp package employee association.

    The organisation, which has 4,284 employees, had written a letter to the chief secretary expressing fear for their lives.

    “In a state of extreme fear and panic, we bring to your kind notice that the whole of the minority populace of Kashmiri Pandits dispensing their duties in Kashmir feels scared of the emerging grave, anti-minority situation in Kashmir.

    “Due to recent brutal and gruesome selective killings of members of Hindu community, all employees who belong to the same community feel insecure and frightened,” they wrote.

    ALSO READ | Civilian killings in J&K: PDP demands L-G Manoj Sinha’s resignation, says situation is alarming

    “The emerging situation reminds us of the similar situation that of decade 1990s, which led to the mass exodus of Kashmiri Pandits,” the memorandum said, adding the same loss of lives cannot be afforded by the community again.

    Raina argues that while the camps where they stay are completely secure, there are several hundred employees residing outside these camps and have to attend to their duties in far flung areas.

    “It seems that the administration is not capable enough to provide security to all the employees and therefore, we have asked the chief secretary to exempt us from the duties till the situation returns to normal,” he said.

    Raina said that while 20 percent of 380 families had left on Thursday, some families moved out even Friday before the Deputy Commissioner came to the camp.

    Vinod Raina, who is the President of PM package employee’s association at Mattan, an area in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district, says that around 250 people living outside the transit camps have left for Jammu since attack on minority community started a few day back.

    ​ALSO READ | Have we lost ground intelligence or enemy has become sharper? asks Altaf Bukhari on civilian killings

    “When the news of killing of teachers in Srinagar reached, our fellow colleagues belonging to Muslim community escorted us back to the camp.

    The bonhomie between the two communities is strong and I hope it stays like that,” says Raina, who was employed as teacher in 2010.

    He said that some of the migrant employees staying outside transit camps have already shifted their base to Jammu.

    “This is a sad,” says another employee who did not wish to be named.

    “And the pace at which the government has been functioning for the last few years is not encouraging.”

  • Civilian killings in J&K: PDP demands L-G Manoj Sinha’s resignation, says situation is alarming

    By PTI

    SRINAGAR: The PDP on Friday demanded the resignation of Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha over the recent civilian killings by militants, saying the administration has “failed” to provide a sense of security to the people.

    The situation in the Union Territory is alarming and these incidents have exposed the “false” narrative of normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief spokesperson Suhail Bukhari told a press conference here.

    Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a number of killings of civilians in the last few days, with the latest on Thursday, when principal Supinder Kaur and teacher Deepak Chand were shot dead at point blank range inside a government school in the city.

    On Tuesday, Makhan Lal Bindroo, a prominent Kashmiri Pandit, and a vendor, Virendra Paswan from Bihar, were killed by terrorists in Srinagar, and civilian, Mohammad Shafi Lone, in Bandipora.

    Terrorists shot dead Majid Ahmad Gojri in Srinagar and Mohammad Shafi Dar at Batamaloo on Saturday.

    “One thing is clear from the incidents that have taken place in the last few days that the situation is getting worse.

    The people of Jammu and Kashmir, especially in the Valley, do not feel safe,” Bukhari said.

    “We have condemned these incidents in the strongest terms, they are anti-humanity and anti-Kashmiriyat,” he said.

    Bukhari also said that the overall situation in Kashmir is “alarming” and the government of the day is responsible for it.

    “So, for its (administration’s) failures, for not being able to protect the people, for the worsening situation and for working against the people, the PDP demands that Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has no moral authority left to continue and he should resign. He has failed in his work to provide security and development,” he said.

    The PDP chief spokesperson said the situation demands that questions be asked to the government.

    “It is now two years since the unconstitutional and illegal decision to revoke Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and the Union Territory is under the direct control of the Union home ministry. The situation today tells you about their performance in these two years,” Bukhari said.

    In 2019, the Centre had revoked the special status of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and divided it into union territories of Jammu and Kahsmir and Ladakh.

    “Question arises that who will take the responsibility for the bloodshed that is taking place on the roads and lanes of Kashmir. Who is answerable for this? What are the security apparatus and the intelligence agencies doing? What is the government of the day doing? The responsibility clearly lies on the government of the day and so the need is to make them answerable,” he said.

    Claiming that the situation a few years back was not how it is today, Bukhari said since the government’s control has been from Delhi, the situation has been “worsening”.

    “There is no sense of security, be it among the minority community or the majority community. They used to say Article 370 was the biggest hurdle in achieving peace here and so it had to be removed. They used to say that the political parties here were a hurdle and they were sidelined. They should be asked today then who is responsible for the situation getting worse,” he added.

    The PDP leader said such incidents have “exposed the false narrative” about normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir or the end of militancy or that everything is under control.

    The narrative was created and the whole country was lied to by the governments here and in Delhi, The PDP leader said.

    Appealing to the people to be united and fight the situation together, Bukhari said these incidents were being done to target the communal harmony and brotherhood in Kashmir.

    Later, PDP workers staged a protest from the party headquarters near Sher-e-Kashmir Park and tried to match towards the city centre Lal Chowk here.

    However, police scuttled their move and did not allow them to proceed towards Lal Chowk.